Pages

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Converting a Skirt Dart to Hemline Flare

A while back, we looked at using the pivot method to move a dart around on a bodice. I thought I'd show you another easy dart technique--this one eliminates a waistline dart on a skirt and turns it into flare at the hemline. It's like magic! Here's what you do, as illustrated on a tiny, not-to-scale front skirt pattern.

You have your basic straight skirt, right?

Draw a line up from the hem to the bottom of the dart.

Cut out the dart, and then slash up the line to the dart, leaving a little hinge.

Open out the slash until the waistline dart closes up.

Ta da! A flared skirt with no dart. Tape the pattern down to a new piece of paper to secure. True the lines at the waistline and the hemline, as shown in red below.

This technique just came in handy when I wanted to eliminate the dart on a skirt for a clean waistline look, while simultaneously adding more flare to the hem.

Slashing and closing a dart will work on a bodice too, to convert the dart to gathers or a dart in a new location. Try it and see!

That is brilliant. I should also be able to use the reverse process (i.e. starting from the flared version) to work out the right amount of waist dart on straighter skirts. My hips being 2 sizes bigger than my waist, I often struggle to get the waist to fit and not be too loose...

Anon, that would usually work to find the grainline, but not in this case. You wouldn't change anything, just leave the bracket that tells you to lay the pattern piece on the fold. That way, the grainline still runs vertically at center front, which is what you want. Same thing for the back, even though it's not laid on a fold. You want to retain the grainline at center back. I hope that makes sense!

According to what I learned in my flat pattern class way back in aught-two, this actually is the "slash and spread" method. The "pivot method" involves tracing around your sloper, pinning throught the dart apex, pivoting the sloper and retracing the altered portion of the sloper. The pivot method does not require scissors and tape, just paper and pencil. I love patterning posts! I have been recently mulling over a dartless gored skirt pattern.

Thanks for the little review. Pattern manipulation is a skill that I love to experiment with. I have done this with a shoulder dart and a bust dart in the past, however, not with a skirt. Something new to try, I will add it to my ever expanding list! Love the mini's!